The homeowner of 2 Park Terrace contacted us about improvements he wants to make to his George Keller-designed row house in the Frog Hollow Historic District.  He needs to address a sagging porch which wraps around this corner property.  An aging fence of some indeterminate era protects the property from pedestrians wishing to “cut the corner” of Park Terrace and Capitol Avenue.  He wants to explore replacing the fence with a landscape solution to soften the exterior of his home.  Rounding out the wish list is new paint and to replace gutters.  A ten-year resident of Park Terrace Jeff wants to do the right thing as he improves his home.

In contacting HPA Jeff had no idea that we would leap at offering to help!  As outlined in our new strategic plan we want to offer real and relevant technical assistance.  In launching the concept of becoming an historic preservation center, HPA wants to become recognized as a resource for property owners.  In meeting with Jeff we explored his scope of projects which are confronting the house’s condition.  With the help of an architect, Valerio Giadone, we began we had a general discussion of what options might be available to repair the substructure of this substantial porch and to repair or possibly replace columns, rails or spindles of the porch. The desire by the homeowner is to accomplish the work by the fall.

Over the course of the project I will write about the its progress , decisions to be made and resources gathered to complete this signature neighborhood improvement effort.  We hope to highlight the technical assistance offered by HPA as a means to encourage citywide interest in having the preservation center become a respected and robust partner.  More to the point we want to encourage owners  of historic property owners to “do the right thing”.

Kip Bergstrom, director of Connecticut Department of Economic Development’s Offices of Branding, Innovation, Historic Preservation, the Arts and Tourism, has published a paper entitled “The Power of Place in Connecticut” which has launched a statewide conversation. Placemaking is defined as “an active attempt by a community of people to define and express themselves and the place where they live”. Overall this is an initiative to reflect on where we live and, I believe, where we attract people to want to visit and live.

So what?

I’m just back from a trip to Paris where one finds the quintessential definition of place. Just talking about Paris causes responses of “love it, want to visit it, want to go back, always dreamed of going”. An extreme example to be sure, but visitors desire to be part of the fabric even if for a short time. To me this is how I make sense of placemaking as a concept.

Hartford struggles with a sense of place in my opinon. One example: there is much talk around the historic fabric of our city – 4,500 structures by last count -but in practical terms where is our ethos of preservation? Property owners do what they can to circumvent the preservation of buildings in the neighborhoods throughout Hartford. One need only sit in on a meeting of the Hartford Preservation Commission to learn that owners petition for cheap. In nearly every case cost is the complaint. Preservation as a contribution to community fabric, an increase in property values, for taking pride in restoration are not the themes of hearings. One recent comment suggested that the approved petition for “cheesy” window replacements would cause “the owner to have to live with them.” I argue that indeed these cheap windows will require the neighborhood to live with them.

A colleague suggested that one does not travel to visit a CVS or a parking lot. It took me a second to grasp the meaning until I thought of Main Street, Hartford or the controversy surrounding the zoning change to allow a mega-Walgreens to be built on the corner of Prospect and Farmington Avenues in West Hartford. How do we establish the ethos of historic preservation as a community development tool or one which markets the city to visitors? Perhaps we might take seriously the concept of placemaking. Bergstrom suggests in his paper:

“Think of it as a conversation with ourselves, our predecessors and our descendants which takes place in space across time-past, present and future.”

 

Now that is a conversation worth having.

When last we spoke (hint: Strategic Planning is not for the Faint of Heart and Historic Preservation is an Action Verb), I began to outline the new strategic plan for Hartford Preservation Alliance.  Within the mission and vision are the essential themes of preservation matters and we want to be a collaborative partner in Hartford’s effort on behalf of community economic development.  So here is a visual representation of our concept of creating an historic preservation center: 

We envision a center established as part of the community, “on the street where you live”, that when implemented can be a resource center for many things:

• An education resource;   
• Advice for property owners: tax credits, historic commission applications, materials, cost comparisons, design, budgets
• Research, listed properties, historic districts
• Tours, talks, discussions of Historic Hartford
• Homeowner repair classes
• Financial toolbox: revolving fund, second mortgages, construction finance resources, acquisition
• Resource for City of Hartford Department of Development
• Partner in community preservation projects

To be sure this will not happen at once, but will be phased in over the course of the next several years.  This writer is tempted to say that HPA is “not your father’s HPA” but will seek to emerge as a robust organization willing and eager to participate in historic preservation of Hartford.

PRESERVATION MATTERS (and so do we)

Okay, not the catchiest title for a blog (or grammatically correct…) but you get the idea of what work needs to be accomplished by the board and staff of HPA over the next few years. Our mission statement bears witness to our new approach to preservation in Hartford:  

Revitalize, Connect and Collaborate

• Revitalize the historic fabric of Hartford
• Connect us to our heritage
• Collaborate to impact community economic development

 Historic preservation matters and is not isolated in an ivory tower or simply focused on the “gems”.  We are required to become streetwise and a partner with a presence that is real and effective. Our vision requires us to be engaged:

We envision a thriving Hartford whose future prosperity builds on our rich heritage through our historically significant architecture, sites and neighborhoods.

In striving to achieve this vision the Hartford Preservation Alliance will: 

• Be the heritage preservation hub—the place where people who live and work in Hartford go for heritage preservation technical assistance and support
• Assume a leadership role in partnering for the City’s revitalization—so that “what’s old is new” is not a cliche
• Influence and inform historic preservation’s community economic development potential—driving agenda and content
• Support compliance with the Historic Preservation Commission’s development guidelines
• Promote and create neighborhood historic districts
• Play a vital role in re-envisioning and preserving the City’s historic housing stock—and in encouraging new homeowners into the city

This is an ambitious strategic plan which requires new actions, partners, resources and community support.  We invite your thoughts, comments, criticism.  Our new public face through our website and Facebook page solicits feedback.  Please join the conversation . . . 

With the generous financial support from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, HPA completed a search for a consultant and chose Francine Christiansen, Christiansen Consulting, Inc. Most striking in her proposal was her determination that we were to embark on a strategic business  plan. Over the course of a couple blogs, I want to set the stage for the good work accomplished by many over the past four months and the outline our future goals and objectives directed by a new mission . . . .

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
On February 24, 2014, the Board of Directors of the Hartford Preservation Alliance voted to approve a Strategic Plan for 2014-2016.

Summary Framework:
Focusing Priority
“To be Hartford’s historic preservation resource and technical assistance hub and develop the organizational structure, partnerships and resources to support it.”

 Value Proposition
The Hartford Preservation Alliance revitalizes communities, reconnects us to our heritage and collaborates to impact community economic development for those who live and work in Hartford. 

• By providing a one-stop preservation center for technical assistance, resources and referral services
• By providing expertise and tools to safeguard Hartford’s architectural and cultural heritage assets
• By being a key voice for preserving the built environment that makes Hartford unique and appealing
• By influencing the development of public policy to prevent blight and demolition
• By becoming recognized as a partner in community and economic development
• By convening stakeholders and advocates around a common vision

Key Strategic Decisions

• Historic property owners and the city of Hartford are HPA’s primary customers
• To develop the resources, infrastructure and partnerships to be Hartford’s Historic Preservation Hub, providing resource and technical assistance
• As part of this Hub, HPA must develop a physical location, tangible products/programs and demonstrate mission impact to be more relevant and better recognized